Wow, this was absolutely amazing. Again, like Un-matchmakers, your originality astounds me. You manage to take a story and spin it so that we're looking at it in an entirely different angle, through entirely different eyes, and in doing so, you breath a spark of life and power into it that haunts the reader.

This was incredible!

Oh, by the way, I read your challenge on your profile, about a realistic Zutara romance... and might I suggest Dangerous Ground? *sly grin* Yeah, it's mine, but I thought you might like it if you like Zutara. *hopeful* Anyway, thanks for a great story! I'm off to read the rest now!

A beautifuly writen piece. The interaction between Iroh and Ozai is interesting, because you see a side of Iroh that most people think doesn't exist. Also, the character you gave Ozai is very human. Most people, from what is on the show, would think that he is as cold and cruel as can be.

It nice to know that not EVERONE thinks Ozai is entirely evil. I don't mind him, even as I myself am a Zuko fan. Not everyone is completely emotionless, especially a Father. There's a sort of Bond a Father and a Son shares, I think.

When I read the last sentence I actually felt a wave of pity hit me like a ton of bricks. But then I realized this was like a freebee thing like you said and I gladly took to thinking Lord Ozai left to apologize to his son...even as that seemed impossible cuz the Fire Lord is hated in the Southern Water Tribe and about everywhere else that isn't Fire Nation territory. Yeah. *sigh* But Zuko cares about his Father dispite everything...It would've been a nice thought of seeing them putting their differences aside and accepting eachother.

The banter between Iroh and Ozai is new – it’s hard to remember most of the time that they are brothers and this sort of touches on that. I like how you manage to create a background without taking away from the main theme of the story. It’s well-written, and the choice to use present tense suits their interaction. I enjoyed reading this. .

As far as con-crit goes, I don’t have much to say that won’t tick you off. *laughs* I personally hate it when people tell me this, but the end really would have so much more of an impact if you… ended it a little more. I realize the affect you’re trying to produce in the reader, but the structure of the last paragraph should be changed around a bit to make it just a tad less confusing. It’s not so much a question of “does Ozai die,” but more of “why is the firelight flickering and sputtering if it’s not his doing?” I hope this makes sense.

The characters were a little OoC, but they were melded carefully to the situation you placed them in so it worked out nicely. Iroh’s characterization was especially fantastic. . Great job, overall!